18. And upon the plates of Nephi, I did make a full account of all the wickedness and abominations; but upon 'these plates I did forbear to make a full account of their wickedness and abominations, for behold, a continual scene of wickedness and abominations has been before mine eyes ever since I have been sufficient to behold the ways of man.

19. And wo is me, because of their wickedness, for my heart has been filled with sorrow because of their wickedness, all my days; nevertheless, I know that I shall be "lifted up at the last day.

20. And it came to pass that in this year the people of Nephi again were hunted and driven. And it came to pass that we were driven forth until we had come northward to the land which was called Shem.

21. And it came to pass that we did "fortify the city of Shem, and we did gather in our people as much as it were possible, that perhaps we might save them from destruction.

22. And it came to pass in the three hundred and forty and sixth year, they began to come upon us again.

23. And it came to pass that I did speak unto my people, and did urge them with great energy, that they would stand boldly before the Lamanites and fight for their wives, and their children, and their houses, and their homes.

24. And my words did arouse them somewhat to vigour, insomuch that they did not flee from before the Lamanites, but did stand with boldness against them.

25. And it came to pass that we did contend with an army of thirty thousand, against an army of fifty thousand. And it came to pass that we did stand before them with such firmness, that they did flee from before us.

26. And it came to pass that when they had fled, we did pursue them with our armies, and did meet them again, and did beat them; nevertheless the strength of the Lord was not with us; yea, we were left to ourselves, that the Spirit of the Lord did not abide in us; therefore we had become weak like unto our brethren.

27. And my heart did sorrow because of this the great calamity of my people; because of their wickedness and their abominations. But behold we did go forth against the Lamanites, and the robbers of Gadianton, until we had again taken possession of the lands of our inheritance.

28. And the three hundred and forty and ninth year had passed away. And in the three hundred and fiftieth year, we made a treaty with the Lamanites and the robbers of Gadianton, in which we did get the lands of our inheritance divided.

29. And the Lamanites did give unto us the land north

k, Mor. 1: 4. 7, see g, I. Nep. 5. m, see p, Mos. 23. Alma 48. o, see 2c, Iv. Nep. 1. P, North America.

n, see c,

ward; yea, even to the narrow passage which led into the land southward. And we did give unto the Lamanites all the land southward.

CHAPTER 3.

1. AND it came to pass that the Lamanites did not come to battle again until ten years more had passed away. And behold, I had employed my people, the Nephites, in preparing their lands and their arms against the time of battle.

2. And it came to pass that the Lord did say unto me, Cry unto this people repent ye, and come unto me, and be ye "baptized, and build up again my church, and ye shall be spared.

3. And I did cry unto this people, but it was in vain, and they did not realize that it was the Lord that had spared them, and granted unto them a chance for repentance. And behold they did harden their hearts against the Lord their God.

4. And it came to pass that after this tenth year had passed away, making, in the whole, three hundred and sixty years from the coming of Christ, the king of the Lamanites sent an epistle unto me, which gave unto me to know that they were preparing to come again to battle against us.

5. And it came to pass that I did cause my people that they should gather themselves together at the land Desolation, to a city which was in the borders, by the narrow pass which led into the land southward.

6. And there we did place our armies, that we might stop the armies of the Lamanites, that they might not get possession of any of our lands; therefore we did fortify against them with all our force.

7. And it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and first year, the Lamanites did come down to the city of Desolation to battle, against us; and it came to pass that in that year, we did beat them, insomuch that they did return to their own lands again.

8. And in the three hundred and sixty and second year, they did come down again to battle. And we did beat them again, and did slay a great number of them, and their dead were cast into the sea.

9. And now because of this great thing which my people, the Nephites, had done, they began to boast in their own strength, and began to swear before the heavens, that they

would avenge themselves of the blood of their brethren who had been slain by their enemies.

10. And they did swear by the heavens, and also by the throne of God, that they would go up to battle against their enemies, and would cut them off from the face of the land.

11. And it came to pass that I, Mormon, did utterly refuse from this time forth, to be a commander and a leader of this people, because of their wickedness and abomination.

12. Behold, I had led them, notwithstanding their wickedness, I had led them many times to battle, and had loved them, according to the love of God which was in me, with all my heart; and my soul had been poured out in prayer unto my God all the day long, for them; nevertheless, it was without faith, because of the hardness of their

hearts.

13. And thrice have I delivered them out of the hands of their enemies, and they have repented not of their sins.

14. And when they had "sworn by all that had been forbidden them, by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, that they would go up unto their enemies to battle, and avenge themselves of the blood of their brethren, behold the voice of the Lord came unto me, saying,

15. Vengeance is mine, and I will repay; and because this people repented not after I had delivered them, behold, they shall be cut off from the face of the earth.

16. And it came to pass that I utterly refused to go up against mine enemies; and I did even as the Lord had commanded me; and I did stand as an idle witness to manifest unto the world the things which I saw and heard, according to the manifestations of the Spirit which had testified of things to come.

17. Therefore I write unto you, Gentiles, and also unto you, house of Israel, when the work shall commence, that ye shall be about to prepare to return to the land of your inheritance;

18. Yea, behold, I write unto all the ends of the earth; yea, unto you, twelve tribes of Israel, who shall be judged according to your works, 'by the Twelve whom Jesus chose to be his disciples in the land of Jerusalem.

19. And I write also unto the remnant of this people, who shall also be judged by the Twelve whom Jesus chose in this land; and "they shall be judged by the other Twelve whom Jesus chose in the land of Jerusalem.

20. And these things do the Spirit manifest unto me; therefore I write unto you all. And for this cause I write unto you, that ye may know that ye must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, yea, every soul who belongs to

g, vers. 7, 8. II. Nep. 27. III. Nep. 27: 27.

Mor. 2: 27-29.
k, see e, I. Nep. 15.
n, I. Nep. 12: 9.

j, see c,

h, vers. 9, 10. i, Mor. 6.
1, 1. Nep. 12: 9. m, 1. Nep. 12: 10.
o, see d, III. Nep. 26.

the whole human family of Adam; and ye must stand to be judged of your works, whether they be good or evil;

21. And also that ye may believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, which ye shall have among you; and also that the Jews, the covenant people of the Lord, shall have other witness besides him whom they saw and heard, that Jesus whom they slew, was the very Christ, and the "very God;

22. And I would that I could persuade all ye ends of the earth to repent and prepare to stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

CHAPTER 4.

1. AND now it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and third year, the Nephites did go up with their armies to battle against the Lamanites, out of the "land Desolation.

2. And it came to pass that the armies of the Nephites were driven back again to the land of Desolation. And while they were yet weary, a fresh army of the Lamanites did come upon them; and they had a sore battle, insomuch that the Lamanites did take possession of the city Desolation, and did slay many of the Nephites, and did take many prisoners;

3. And the remainder did flee and join the inhabitants of the city Teancum. Now the city Teancum lay in the borders by the sea shore; and it was also near the "city Desolation.

4. And it was because the armies of the Nephites went up unto the Lamanites, that they began to be smitten; for were it not for that, the Lamanites could have had no power over them.

5. But, behold, the judgments of God will overtake the wicked; and it is by the wicked, that the wicked are punished for it is the wicked that stir up the hearts of the children of men unto bloodshed.

:

6. And it came to pass that the Lamanites did make preparations to come against the city Teancum.

7. And it came to pass in the three hundred and sixty and fourth year, the Lamanites did come against the city Teancum, that they might take possession of the city Teancum also.

8. And it came to pass that they were repulsed and driven back by the Nephites. And when the Nephites saw that they had driven the Lamanites, they did again boast

P, I. Nep. 13: 20-29, 41, 41. q, see k, II. Nep. 25. See b, Mos. 3.

a, see 21, Alma 22. 21, Alma 22. e, see c.

r, II. Nep. 26: 12.

of their strength; and they went forth in their own might, and took possession again of the city Desolation.

9. And now all these things had been done, and there had been thousands slain on both sides, both the Nephites and the Lamanites.

10. And it came to pass that the three hundred and sixty and sixth year had passed away, and the Lamanites came again upon the Nephites to battle; and yet the Nephites repented not of the evil they had done, but persisted in their wickedness continually.

11. And it is impossible for the tongue to describe, or for man to write a perfect description of the horrible scene of the blood and carnage which was among the people; both of the Nephites and of the Lamanites; and every heart was hardened, so that they delighted in the shedding of blood continually.

12. And there never had been so great wickedness among all the children of Lehi, nor even among all the house of Israel, according to the words of the Lord, as were among this people.

13. And it came to pass that the Lamanites did take possession of the "city Desolation, and this because their number did exceed the number of the Nephites.

14. And they did also march forward against the city Teancum, and did drive the inhabitants forth out of her, and did take many prisoners both women and children, and did offer them up as sacrifices unto their idol gods.

15. And it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and seventh year, the Nephites being angry because the Lamanites had sacrificed their women and their children, that they did go against the Lamanites with exceeding great anger, insomuch that they did beat again the Lamanites, and drive them out of their lands;

16. And the Lamanites did not come again against the Nephites, until the three hundred and seventy and fifth year.

17. And in this year they did come down against the Nephites with all their powers; and they were not numbered because of the greatness of their number.

18. And from this time forth did the Nephites gain no power over the Lamanites, but began to be swept off by them even as a dew before the sun.

19. And it came to pass that the Lamanites did come down against the 'city Desolation; and there was an exceeding sore battle fought in the land Desolation, in the which they did beat the Nephites.

20. And they fled again from before them, and they came to the city Boaz; and there they did stand against the Lamanites with exceeding boldness, insomuch that the

g, see 21, Alma 22. h, see 2l, Alma 22. i, see c. k, see j. 1, see 21, Alma 22.

j, vers. 15, 21.